Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print system and a technique relating thereto.
Description of the Related Art
In the past, print data has been transmitted to a printer (e.g., a multi-functional peripheral (MFP)) from a personal computer or the like to cause this printer to print the print data to output. At this time, by using a printer driver at the personal computer or the like, print setting values for various print setting items can be changed when the printing output is carried out.
Meanwhile, for the purpose of a reduced cost or the like, an administrator considers in some cases that it is desirable to limit the print setting value selectable by a user such that, among several print setting values (for example, “double-sided printing” and “single-sided printing”) for a certain print setting item (“print type”) whose setting can be changed using the printer driver, only a specific setting value (“double-sided printing”) is selected by the user (such that “single-sided printing” is not selected).
In order to meet such a request, an action as described below is considered.
For example, it is considered that the administrator sets in advance limitation information that limits the print setting value selectable by the user for a certain print setting item (setting value limitation information), while the printer driver built in a print control device (personal computer) allows the execution of a print job under a condition that the print job has the content of print setting conforming to this setting value limitation information.
Specifically, the administrator sets the setting value limitation information in advance such that, for example, the user is only allowed to select the print setting value of “double-sided printing” for the print setting item of “print type” and thereafter, this setting value limitation information is stored to an external server (print management server). Every time the printer is used by the user (a startup instruction is given by the user), the printer driver sends a query to the print management server to acquire this setting value limitation information and then receives the print setting from the user in which the content of print setting conforms to this setting value limitation information. In this print setting, the user is only allowed to select the print setting value of “double-sided printing” for the print setting item of “print type”, that is, the print setting value of “single-sided printing” cannot be selected. Subsequently, the printer driver allows the execution of the print job under a condition that the print job has the content of print setting conforming to this setting value limitation information.
This action as described above is repeated every time the printer is used by the user (a startup instruction for the printer driver is given by the user). Accordingly, the printer driver sends a query to the print management server to acquire the setting value limitation information every time the printer is used by the user.
Here, in a case where a query for the setting value limitation information is sent to the print management server every time the printer is used by the user, there is a risk of a decrease in operability for the user due to, for example, a time required for the query to the print management server.
For a solution to such a problem, a valid period is considered to be configured for the setting value limitation information such that the setting value limitation information within the print control device is used during this valid period without sending a query for the setting value limitation information to the print management server.
For example, according to a technique disclosed in JP 2002-169433 A, the setting value limitation information (limitation information) having a valid period (time limit for validity) is acquired from a server to be stored within a copier. Accordingly, a query for the setting value limitation information is not sent to the server during this valid period and instead, the setting value limitation information within the copier is used for printing. Once this valid period has passed, the limitation information within the copier is deleted. Thereafter, when the copier is used again, another query for the setting value limitation information is sent to the server and then the setting value limitation information is acquired from the server.
In the technique disclosed in JP 2002-169433 A, however, in a case where access to the server is failed due to, for example, communication error between the copier and the server when another query for the setting value limitation information is sent to the server after the valid period has passed, the setting value limitation information cannot be acquired from the server. When the setting value limitation information is not acquired from the server after the valid period has passed, because the valid period has passed, the setting value limitation information within the copier has been deleted. For this reason, the copier can no longer allow the user to use the own device (execute the print job). In other words, when access to the print management server is failed after the valid period for the setting value limitation information has passed, a service of the printer (the MFP or the like) is uniformly suspended, consequently causing a problem where the user can no longer use the printer.